Senate President Godswill Akpabio is the target of a N100.3 billion defamation lawsuit brought by federal legislator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Kogi Central Senatorial District in the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio defamed her in a negative remark that was posted on his official Facebook page.
“Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT?” was the headline of the post, which was purportedly created by Akpabio’s assistant.
The politician claims the article disparaged her, implying that she thought being a lawmaker only involved “pancaking her face” and “wearing transparent outfits” to Senate meetings.
In addition to Akpabio, the lawsuit also names Mr. Mfon Patrick, a Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President, as a defendant.
The legal action, which is marked as suit CV/737/25, seeks to address the damage caused to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reputation.
The Kogi lawmaker contends that the post severely tarnished her image, portraying her in a negative light and diminishing her standing both among her fellow lawmakers and the public.
She further argues that the post was not only defamatory but also provocative and disparaging.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, represented by a legal team led by Mr. Victor Giwa, is requesting that the court order the immediate retraction of the post and a public apology from the defendants. The apology, according to the claim, must be published in a widely circulated national newspaper.
Other reliefs, include: “A declaration that the words ‘it is a bottled anger by the Kogi Lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Chambers,’ used and written by the 3rd defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public.
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“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates, from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant.”
In addition to her demands for the retraction and apology, Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking N100 billion in general damages and an additional N300 million to cover legal expenses.
At present, the court has yet to set a date for hearing the case.
This legal action comes on the heels of a recent confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio over a controversial seat change in the Senate.
The lawmaker had strongly objected to the unauthorized alteration of her seat, which she believed was linked to the defection of opposition lawmakers to the ruling party.
The dispute escalated when Akpabio ordered the Senate’s Aide-de-camp to escort Akpoti-Uduaghan out of the chamber, a move that sparked widespread public debate across Nigeria.
